Sound field control apparatus and method for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12075233-B2
Application number	US-202117443945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2021
Priority date	May 4, 2021
Publication date	Aug 27, 2024
Grant date	Aug 27, 2024

Abstract

A sound field control apparatus includes a microphone configured to receive an utterance of a user, an output interface configured to output at least one of a sound signal and image data, and one or more processors configured to cancel a sound signal in a specific area around the microphone, obtain room impulse response information based on a user utterance position when the utterance of the user is received, and output a sound signal for providing an independent sound field to the user based on the room impulse response information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sound field control apparatus comprising:
a microphone;
an output interface; and
one or more processors configured to:
for each preset band of a plurality of preset bands:
control the output interface to output a specific sound signal within the preset band; and
record the specific sound signal received at the microphone;

synthesize the recorded specific sound signals;
based on the synthesized specific sound signals, estimate indirect sound signals that are not input directly from the output interface to the microphone, but are input indirectly from the output interface to the microphone via a wall of a space in which the sound field control apparatus is located,
wherein each of the estimated indirect sound signals corresponds to a respective band of the plurality of preset bands;
based on the estimated indirect sound signals, generate a room impulse response filter that captures spatial characteristics of the space in which the sound field control apparatus is located;
receive a first sound signal at the microphone, the first sound signal corresponding to an utterance of a user;
remove, from the received first sound signal, a direct sound signal in a specific area around the microphone using the generated room impulse response filter, wherein the direct sound signal is input directly from the output interface to the microphone;
update the room impulse response filter based on a position of the user when the first sound signal was received; and
output a second sound signal for providing an independent sound field to the user based on the updated room impulse response filter.

2. The sound field control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to update the room impulse response filter based on a degree of deformation of a previous user utterance signal and a current user utterance signal received by the microphone.

3. The sound field control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to
extract a path, through which the second sound signal is output to the user, based on the room impulse response filter,
output a personal sound signal as the second sound signal, an amplitude and a phase of which are changed to correspond to the path, and
provide the independent sound field to the user.

4. The sound field control apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to correct a damaged sound quality by using an acoustic spatial control (ASC) algorithm.

5. An operating method of a sound field control apparatus including a microphone and an output interface, the operating method comprising:
for each preset band of a plurality of preset bands:
controlling the output interface to output a specific sound signal within the preset band; and
recording the specific sound signal received at the microphone;

synthesizing the recorded specific sound signals;
based on the synthesized specific sound signals, estimating indirect sound signals that are not input directly from the output interface to the microphone, but are input indirectly from the output interface to the microphone via a wall of a space in which the sound field control apparatus is located,
wherein each of the estimated indirect sound signals corresponds to a respective band of the plurality of preset bands;
based on the estimated indirect sound signals, generating a room impulse response filter that captures spatial characteristics of the space in which the sound field control apparatus is located;
receiving a first sound signal at the microphone, the first sound signal corresponding to an utterance of a user;
removing, from the received first sound signal, a direct sound signal in a specific area around the microphone using the generated room impulse response filter, wherein the direct sound signal is input directly from the output interface to the microphone;
updating the room impulse response filter based on a position of the user when the first sound signal was received; and
outputting a second sound signal for providing an independent sound field to the user based on the updated room impulse response filter.

6. The operating method of claim 5 , wherein updating the room impulse response filter comprises updating the room impulse response filter based on a degree of deformation of a previous user utterance signal and a current user utterance signal received by the microphone.

7. The operating method of claim 5 , wherein outputting the second sound signal comprises:
extracting a path, through which the second sound signal is outputted to the user, based on the room impulse response filter,
outputting a personal sound signal as the second sound signal, an amplitude and a phase of which are changed to correspond to the path, and
providing the independent sound field to the user.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Kihyun
• Yi Donghoon

Classifications

• H04S7/303

  Tracking of listener position or orientation · CPC title

• G10L15/22

  Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue · CPC title

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• H04R1/403

  loud-speakers · CPC title

• H04R2499/15

  Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops · CPC title